BUKITTINGGI— The ongoing global environmental crisis is far more than a matter of climate change or biodiversity loss; it is an existential threat that severs the profound connection between humans, culture, and the earth they inhabit. This phenomenon, known as ecological and social rupture, took center stage at a recent international forum.
A comprehensive explanation of the concept was delivered by Gadjah Mada University (UGM) academic Zainal Abidin Bagir, who spoke as a panelist at the Netherlands-Indonesia Consortium for Muslim-Christian Relations (NICMCR) Annual Meeting. The prestigious academic forum was held on 3-4 June 2026 at the Sjech M. Djamil Djambek State Islamic University (UIN) in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra.
In his presentation, Zainal underscored that modernity and reckless exploitation patterns have created a "metabolic rift"—a condition where nature's natural cycles are disrupted for industrial interests and short-term profits.
"When nature is treated merely as a commodity and a warehouse for raw materials, we are destroying the very foundation of our own lives," he told consortium participants. "When nature is treated merely as a commodity and a warehouse for raw materials, we are destroying the very foundation of our own lives," he added.
He further explained that this ecological rift automatically triggers a destructive social rupture. Society—particularly local and indigenous communities—not only loses physical living spaces due to environmental degradation but also suffers from cultural amnesia. When the lands and forests where they nurture traditions are destroyed, the local knowledge, language, spirituality, and social structures that have maintained the Earth's balance for centuries vanish as well.
The dual impact of this destruction has given rise to acute eco-social inequality and profound psychological anxiety among humans as they witness the massive degradation of their living spaces.
Through the NICMCR forum at UIN Bukittinggi, Zainal emphasized the importance of interfaith and intercultural reflection to mend this rift. Restoration, he argued, can no longer rely on cosmetic approaches or superficial environmental actions. Instead, it must address the root cause: shifting the global worldview from greedy anthropocentrism to ecocentrism, which positions humans as an integral part of the Earth's web of life.
Source: Dr. Irwandi, SS., M.Pd / Head of International Office of UIN Sjech M. Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi
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